NICOLAS, Paulo Luiz M.
11218800
ENGLCOM
‘EPAL’Throughout the generation, one can already make a separate dictionary for the great number of Filipino slang terms created. However one term can definitely catch one’s attention, which is exactly what the term’s meaning is. Have you ever been in a situation where a person has been called epal? What exactly is being epal? Urban Dictionary defines it as ‘a person who goes into a situation wherein his presence is not needed or in a place he does not belong’. The term epal has been derived from the word ‘pumapapel’ or ‘mapapel’ which means someone who intervenes with affairs of others or impedes with the concerns of a group with no relation to him with the intention of trying to become the center of attention. It can be inferred that it is an example of salitang kalye or balbal in Filipino language and has an unclear etymology. Although unclear is its roots, epal is similar to other Filipino slang terms and it is certain that there is a catalyst for these words to be created. Hence, it is not only about using epal as either an insult or a label because it is also an element of language variation. Relevantly, slang terms are codes or “mechanisms” that reflect social awareness or circumstances happening around an individual (Newsome, n.d.) The term can be traced to the culture of the Philippines. Knowing that it is part of our language and culture, it is ought to be elaborated for it allows the discovery of the pattern of formation of words like it and what it has to do with our identity. This one word could even identify the image of Filipino society in the micro-level. The term epal is a proof of the diversity of the Filipino language because of its connotation in the past and present, impact to society and contrasting themes with other similar terms in the Philippines. On account of being a mainstream negative label for someone, the attribute of epal has extended to the usage in the social and political dimension. There are hundreds of situations one can recognize someone as epal. In the social scene, media might use epal as an interesting element in a show. One can imagine a girl with her quickly beating heart, and blushing cheeks that seem like roses blossoming and sparkling eyes hidden and focused on the ground to avert the eyes directed toward her. In an inconspicuous location after school hours, she called this boy full of determination but now it was as though her courage was being drained from her. Presently, she is standing before the man of her dreams and is ready to confess her overflowing emotion. Both are anxious of their presence and what is about to happen. Beginning to explain, she spoke to the boy in a soft-spoken yet determined voice. As soon as she was about to confess her pure and deep love, the whole atmosphere is ruined and the mood is after a teacher appeared. The romance between the princess and the prince is destroyed by the dragon and to what they thought was going to be their happy ending, it ended painfully before it even began. An epal is a person who intervenes with people or thwarts plans. In a political scene, again one can imagine a person walking down the street, and he sees posters everywhere of incompetent politicians declaring their vow to the progress of this country. It was the same vow they made during the previous campaign period where they won, and currently their promises are insubstantial. Completely infuriated by this, he goes home and tries to ease his mind so he turned the television on to watch his favourite show. Giggles and tears were expressed; the person was concentrated veritably on the show for the storyline was reaching its climax. Then, the epal struck once more; a campaign advertisement showed the same shameless politician, who pretended to help the adults and children by giving them goods and smiles at a populated squatter area. At such a premature period, he was already campaigning and promoting his kupal side. An epal...

YOU MAY ALSO FIND THESE DOCUMENTS HELPFUL

...1/31/2013
“Turn my Swag on”
Words are a part of our daily lives. With words we can communicate with others and evoke our feelings. But not every word has the same meaning in various regions of the world. Words just like humans are shaped by the location and culture that they are introduced to. This is what makes slangwords interesting. Depending on where you live, a slangword...

...Introduction
We speak differently in different situations. The way we speak and the choice of words depend on the situation in which the processes of communication is realized. As we are speaking about the functions of all this words in different situations we have to define “functional style”
Under a “function style” we understand language means peculiar to a specific sphear of communication.
The basic vocabulary is the central group of the vocabulary, its...

...On the feature of American slangs
Abstract: With the development of the society, slang is accepted by more and more Americans. This thesis analyses features and functions of American slang. The author draws a conclusion that American slang reflects the cultural characteristics of Americans’ humor, informality, self-confidence, anti-authority, innovation consciousness and pursuit for time efficiency.
Slang is a sort of...

... When it comes to the topic of slang, most of us will readily agree that it is a part of everyday life. Although it has become common today to dismiss slang as a lowering of the English language, I believe it is an ever developing language of its own that will be around for years to come. If you think about it slang has already been around for centuries and has shown no evidence of slowing down. With every new generation new words...

...B***
Linspeak Lexicon
Dr. R****** P*******
10/02/2013
SlangSlang is a complex and ever changing part of the language we speak. It’s a distorted form of language, which incorporates old words to take on new meanings. It’s almost like a source of verbal rebellion, which becomes so overused it turns into the norm. It’s a way for younger generations to feel separate from the older ones, and is required to fit into your generation....

...Bill Nesbitt
English 102-069
Major Paper 2
In order to gain an adequate perspective of the types of slangwords used among my peers, I decided to hangout with my friends for a night, taking note of the slang used without letting them know. The group of friends consisted of all males, six including myself to be exact, in the library, which made my note-taking less obvious. We had gotten a private study room, and this allowed for the...

...Prison Slang and the Language between Inmates and Correctional Officers
Prison society has always had its own language and over the years, prison language has evolved. Correctional officers have to deal with a considerable number of offenders with a large variety of issues. All the inmates segregate themselves by race or religion in prison. At times dealing with each race or religion in a prison environment can be difficult. Prison staff are trained to understand how inmates...

...insulting me. The word off the chain has become the latest craze in vocabulary words with double meanings to hit the streets and today’s youth is eating it all up.
Off the chain is just one of many words in today’s vocabulary that has been revamped by younger generation. The Urban Dictionary, an online dictionary of slangwords used by teenagers today, defines the word off the chain as meaning a great deal of...